Snowball gun



Allg. 19., 1952 1 W, ODELL 2,607,333

SNOWBALL GUN Filed July 19, 1947 J. W. O'DELL SNowBAL-L vGUN Aug. 19, 1952 Filed July 19, 1947 James W Oell w. Gttornegs J. W'. ODELL Aug. 19, 1952 sNowBALL GUN 5 sheets-sheet s v Filed .July 19, '1947 Patented Aug. 19, 1952 UNITED .STAT

Es "Pa-TENT oFFlcE" L12 olaiins. (onza-'27) This invention is for a toy gun for projecting isnow'pellets, and it has for its object to provide a. device in the nature of a toy designed to be charged with loose snow, and to form and project the-same inthe form of pellets. A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this Anature which will` provide the ruser with considerable action? and which,'at the lsame time, isrelatively simple to manufacture.r It is designed to provide harmless amusement.

In its preferred embodiment, the invention provides a device having two parallel barrels, one

disposed directly above the other. One of these barrels, Vas for example the upper one, lis constructed with means to receive loose snow and compact it and force it into a charge-forming `chamber or rotatable magazine member located at therear end of the-barrel in which a charge.- forming memberis formed.- Under the vcontrol of the operator, the magazine Yor charge-forming chamber 4may be rotated .from a positionfin axial alignmentwith the upper barrel vto a position in axial alignment with the lower barrel. The lower barrel contains a, spring-operated plunger movable from an extended position to a cocked lor contracted position. When in the cocked position, the plunger is controlled by a trigger. Operation of the trigger releases the plunger so as to expelthe charge from the charge-forming chamber along the lower barreland out of the muzzle .of the gun. N

The invention may be more fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

. Fig. 1 is a side elevation-of a completed gun` embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on a somewhat larger scale through the forward portion of the gun shown in Fig. 1, including the entire length of the two barrels and the-trigger to aforward position for the initial step ofY cocking the plunger; I; l Fig. 6 is a view complementary-to Fig. 5showing'A thebutt end ofthe g11 n,and.s`h owingthe lelecting plungerv inV retracted or cockedposition;

lisa detail-plan ,view of a v strap member is a, .verticali section inthe plane of the` plane of line XIII- XIII of' Fig. 2, indicating the 2 forming a part of the plunger retracting or cocking mechanism; Figu4 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the bolt `action assembly as viewed from the top, the snow compacting element being shown in elevation;

Fig. 9 is a View of the mechanism shown in Fig.

'8, the view,-however, being va side elevation, and

it shows also the latch for holding the chargeforming chamber against free rotation;

Fig. 10 is. a detail view of the front end of the mechanism shown in Figs. Band 9, but-showing the snow compacting plunger moved away from its normal retracted position; w

Fig. 11 is a transverse vertical section in the plane of line XI--XI of Fig. 10;

' Fig. 12 is a transversey vertical section in the plane of line XII- XII of Fig. 1, but showing the snow-receiving gates open;

Fig. 13 is a transverse vertical section in the rotation of the charge-forming chamber; Iand Fig. 14 is a transverse vertical section in the plane of line XIV- XIV of Fig. 8, showing the three different positions of the bolt action.

As previously indicated, the gun comprises two coaxially extendingfbarrels, one preferably being above the other, the upper one being designated 2, andthe lower one designated 3. They are at- -tached to a stock 4 at the rear of the gun, `which `stock is hollow, and is enclosed by removable plates.

The upper barrel 2 is provided 'near its forward end with hinged doors or gates 5, best shown in Fig. l2, in which the gates are opened out, the hinges for the gates being designated 6. These hinges are preferably spring hinges, tending to throw the gates to the open position shown in Fig. 5. When the gates are open they provide a compartment at the forward end of the upper barrel into which loose snow may be charged. They may be closed in the manner hereinafter indicated, and when closed, their curvature corresponds to the curvature of the barrel, and they constitute a part of the upper barrel.

Nea-reach end ofthe gates 5 are operating fingers or levers T which are pivotally supported at 8, the ends of these levers slidably pressing against the exterior of the gates 5. They have a curved portion 'la for engagement with the cam surfaces to be hereinafter described.

The upper barrel 2 throughout the major por- I tion of its length, including the portion comprised of the parts 5, has av longitudinal slot 9 along the bottom thereof. Between the upper and lower barrels there is a longitudinally extending rod I forming part of the bolt action. This rod I6 has a vertically extending plate II secured thereto at its forward end, the plate I I projecting through the longitudinally extending slot 9 so that the plate II can be moved back and forth along the barrel. This plate contains a snow compacting plunger I2 which is in the form of a piston that loosely ts within the upper barrel 2. Therod IU extends to a point to the rear of the upper barrel where it is provided with an operating lever Illa by means of which the rod may.- v.

be moved back and forth, and also by means of 4 that the slide block I8 which operates the rods 2U with their cams 22 moves only a short distance, sa;r about an inch, which is all that is required to cause the cams 22 to allow the doors 5 to open or to close. It will be understood that when the l cams 22 move toward the left, when the plunger Which it may be turned. The plate II 'is con:

nected to the rod through a sleevev I.Ia. (see.Fig. 10) at the bottom of the plate, which fits about the rod and which allows the plate I I to be moved,

with the rod, but which allows the rod to be` turned without turning` the plate II, the slit in the bottomof the barrel along which the plate or slide II travels holding it always in a vertical position. Y I' The purpose of the plunger I2 is to move vfrom the' forward end ofthe barrel 2 toward the rear when the lrod I0 is pulled backward. It engages snowwhich is charged into the barrel when the gates 5 are open, and serves to push and compact -thissnow toward the rear end of the upper barwhen the rod IIl is pushed rto'move the plunger I2 toward the front end of the'- upperl barrel 2, the transverse pin vIll on vthe latching dog I 3'will ride over a doublesloped cam I6 and lift the dog so that the' latching lug of the dog may engage cross bar I'I on a slide block I8 which is tted into Ythe slot 9 at the extremeforward end of the barre1-2. This slide block has two downwardly Vand outwardly extending arms I9 (see Fig; 1l),

each of which carries' a'slide rod 2G, one extendin g along each side of the barrel, The "slideA rods 26 pass through xed guide plates 2I which extend between the upper and'lower' barrels, and each of these rods has a cam thereon, designated 22. When the slide block I8 is moved forwardly along the barrel as far as it will go, which is the position shownin Figs. 5 and l0, the rods 26 are in the position shown in Fig. 12 and the cams 22 are out of engagement 'with the levers I for closingthe doors 5, so that the spring hinges are free to open the gates out to the lposition shown in Fig. l2. When the plunger I2 is shoved for- Wa'r'dto the forwardmost end of the upper barrel, the *plate II will engage the block I8 and push it toward the front end of the barrel, and at the same time thelatching dog will engage'the part II in the manner hereinbefore described. When the plunger` I2 is'next pulled tothe left or toward thestock ofthe gun, the slide-block I8 willvbe pulled along with the plunger assembly 4I I-I2 fora short distance until the cross pin I4 on the latching dog rides in the reverse direction up the double sloped cam I6 to'lift the lat'ching dog clear of the cross piece on the block 8 and thereby disconnect the slide block I8 from the slide plate I I.

Thus while the plunger I2.V has aA relatively long stroke along the barrel 2, the arrangement is such is moving toward the left to compact the snow, these cam surfaces bearing against the surfaces .la of `the lever I rock the lever I ,to V,close the of the portions 1a of the levers, and the |parts will assume the position shown in Fig. 12.

YThe mechanism so far described provides an upperbarrel with doors which may be opened to permit the charging of snow, but which will be closedlwhen the compacting plunger is moved in a direction to compress or compact the snow. It provides an arrangement .wherein the compacting plunger can be moved-back and forth in the upper'barrel without opening the doors 5 after they have ,been closed, unlessthe plunger is moved sufficiently far toward the front to effect engagement betweenV the Iplate I I and the slide block I8.

Atth'e rear end of the barrel 2 there is a'rotatable magazine designated generally as 25. It has an upper'cup or chamber 26 which forms in elect the rear end of the upper barrel 2. Its relation to the upper barrel is best seen in Fig. 2. This member 25 is carried on a sleeve 2'I through which the rod Ill is slidably .pass/ed.' The member-25 has also a lowerv chamber 28 which normally forms a, lcontinuation or section of the lower barrel' 3, but upon rotation of the magazine the position of chambers 26 and 28 are transposed. Both barrels are of the same diameter. It will be noted Vthat the inner or left-hand end of the slot 9 in the bottom of the upperbarrel (see Figs. 2 and 5J extends almost to the chargeforming o r transferring chamber 26 so that the plunger I 2 Ican move clear over to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 5. Thus the plunger I2 is used to push the snow into the charge-forming and transferring chamber 26 in the rotatable member 25.

In operation the operator usually manipulates the gun by charging snow vintothe front end of the barrel when the gates areA open, then pulling on the rodor bolt handle 'I0 rearwardly to cause the plunger I 2 to push this snow toward the lefthand end of the barrel and compact it in' the chamber 26. He may repeat the operation several'tim'es until a substantial part of the entire length of the upper barrel is lled with compacted snow. By working the rod or bolt I0 back and forth repeatedly, he lcan compact the snow to greater density.

When it is desired to ytransfer a charge from the upper magazine into a position to be red, the member 25 is rotated to reverse the position of thehchambers 26 and 28 as is shown in Fig. 6, thisbeing done whentthe other parts of the gun to behereinafter described are in Ithe position shown in Fig. 6. When this has been accomplished, the filled charge-forming chamber 26 then lines up with'the rear end of the lower barrel and forms a continuation of it, and the chamber 28 is in line with the upper barrel and forms the rear end of it. v c

Rotation of the barrel from one position to the other is elected in the following manner:

The sleeve 21 at thefcenter of thev rotatable doublechambered member 25 extends rearwardly beyond` what would normally constitute the breach portion of a conventional gun. The projecting' rear end of this? sleeve has two slits at diagonally opposite points, theposition of these slits being perhaps best seen in Fig. 14. The operating handle Illa for the bolt has athin-web .portion `I 0b that may be entered and slid along either of these two slots. 'The slots in the sleeve 2'I are designated 21a and :211). When thev operating handle Ia is retracted beyond the, end of the sleeve 2'I,.it is of .course free to slide back and forth and to be turned, and the only eiectof moyingz'itback and" forth is to move the plunger I2, and .theturning eiects no purpose. However, if it is entered in one of the slots 21a!l or 2lb' and thenfturned, it transmits a turning movement to the magazine 25. The handle Illa thus serves not only. to operate `the snow-compressing plunger,

but* also as the boltmechanism to rotate the.

magazine.

Inorder to. keep themagazine from free rotation,f;there is a latch mechanism. This latch mechanism comprises a radially movable detent 30, best vshown in Fig. 9, which as viewed in Fig. 9 may be moved up and down. When it is down, it engages a notch in the rear end of the outer wallof 'the chamber 25, andserves to keepthe rotatable magazine member from turning. When itis liftedclear of this notch, it does not interferewith the. turningof the magazine. This latch is providedwitha spring 3I that normally pulls it downwardly las vieWedin Fig. 9 to keep it in latchingfposition. 1tr is provided with a thrust arm `32l. by means of which it may be lifted to the released position. This thrust arm is connected to'` a togglelever=33 which ismounted on a sleeve 3.4".that is concentric with the sleeve 21 and in 'f which, the sleeve .21 isv rotatable'. The sleeve 434 has an extension 35.7that projects along the slot 21a. The arrangement is such that when the handle Ilia is pushed-along the slot 21a. to bring it into a position lto rotate the magazine, it will be Apressed against` the extension 35, and the longitudinal movement 'of the ,member 35 and the sleeve 34 will cause the latch 30 to be lifted to its released position. The extension 35 also. forms va stop'to limit the forward motion of lthe bolt action, so that when theA lever Ilia, moves along this slot, it cannot advance far enough to cause the opening of the doors '5. Once it has been released, the turning movement previously described can be effected, and when the magazine'has been rotated 180 thelatch may again move intozlatching position. l It will be noted that the extension 35 on the sleeve 34 is in a position to project along only one` of the slots, and there is nov corresponding extension'overthe other slot. This is necessary so that when it is desired to push the bolt mechanism all the way forward to open the snow-charging .gates at the front of the upper barrel, .the bolt handle Illa; can travel along the other slot and not operate the latch-releasing mechanism'just described. ;In ,traveling along 4this other slot the detent latch 30 is not operated by the/bolt action i f Y yThrough this mechanism, includingv the rotat- .able magazine,.chargesof snow may be transferred from the upper chamber in which they are lead projectile, would tend to distintegrate a snow ball, and it is necessary that the propelling means for a snow ball be more in the nature of acatapult which shoves the charge of snow athigh speed for a considerable distancealong the barrel'. It is necessary that the plunger so usedcan be retracted toa point where it is clear of the rotating magazine, otherwise the magazine could not be rotated to transfer a charge from the upper barrel to the lower one. Itis also necessary, as above indicated, that thejplunger have a relatively long travel.- My invention provides a plunger which can be so retracted to clear the rotatable magazine, and wherein a pump-type of mechanism, simulative of that used in certain types .of repeating fire arms, is .used tov retract, the plunger.

In the drawings there-is shown a snow propelling plunger 40 at the end of a tubular rod 4I ,the plunger 40 and the rod 4I being centered in the lower barrel 3. Fig. 2 shows the plunger in the outer or red position, whereas Fig. 6' showsthe plunger in its retracted or cockedV position. Around the tubular piston rod 4I is a compression spring 42. This compression spring extends not only vthe full length of the tubular stem orrod 4I, but also extends along the inside of .a fixed tube 43 that is located in the: butt or stock of the gun. Inside the tube 43 is a xed rod 44 that has a head or abutment 45 at its forwardmost. end. This head or abutment 45 is slidably fitted in the tube 4Itovprovide a guide for the rearmost end o f the tube 4I. There is a rear shock absorbing spring 4E between the abutment 45 and the'abutvment element on the left-hand end ofthe tube 4 I,

The pump mechanism for cooking` the plunger, i. e., for moving it from the position shown in Fig. 2 tothe cocked position shown in Fig. 6, requires two operating strokes in the particular gun shown. This pumpmechanism includes the trigger guard 48 at the bottom of the lower barrel.

The bottom of the lower barrel has a stripof metal 49 secured thereto (see Fig. 13). The trigger guard 48 just referred lto has inwardly-turned edges 50 that embrace the edges of the strip 49k so that the strip 49 provides a slidefor the movement of the trigger guard therealong. Thetrig'- ger guard has a rod 5I attached to the left-hand end thereof as viewed in Fig. 6, which rod extends into the stock or butt of the gun. An abut.- ment 52 limits the movement of the guard 481toward the left as viewed in Fig. 6. The rod 5I inside the stock carries a member 53 whichgsurroundsl the tube 43 and is -slidable thereon.` The vmember 53 carries a U-shaped lever-,like member vhavingtwo arms 54, one arm coming upieach side of the member 53, there being a cross bar 55 with an upwardly-projecting barb or tongue '56 thereon at thecenter` thereof.l l.

There is a metalstrap 57 (see Fig. 7) Which'is attached to theplunger 4Q., and lwhich extends alongr the rod 4I belowA the spring 42'. It isf-providedfwith two :slits 58 and 59 andv two'square holes {5U/and SI. fWhen the pump, includingthe v,trigger guard 48,is moved xforwardto' thelposi- .tion shown in-Fig.l 5,-thexbarb, or tongue 55will Y snap under the solid part of the'rod'51'and catch so as t'odis'engagethe'barb or tongue 56 from'the opening 58.V The plunger'would thenbe freeto spring back'to its original position, except for theffact that a'holding pawl 463 (see Fig. 5) snaps up into the square opening 60 in' the strip 51 and prevents the strip 51 from-moving toward the right.' vSince the 'strip 51 is attached tothe plunger and'provides the means foroperatin`gthe plunger tothe left,v it followsi that vthe plunger isV thereby held Vagainst th'elpressure fof the .partly compressed spring. The i pump i mechanism* iS again shoved forward to the position shown in Fig'. 5 andthisnme the-barb. 5s will 'catch against the' surface sibfonning the' end of the slit 59 in the stript'l. Then' as the-pump is again pulled back vto the left, the plunger will bef drawn further to the left to further compress the spring `until itgwill reach the position shown in Fig'. .6, at which time the lever 54 will agairi'be tripped to disengage the tongue`tv from pat 51bj'ofthe strip 51, but at 'the same timel the spring detent or-fpawl 63 will 'snap up into the opening 6l and hold the plungeri.i1 the-retracted or 4cocked position.' 'Y 1" I' The trigger which moves'with the trigger'gua'rd includes a trigger lever B5, with a'iinger-enga'ging ein:epsilon. vThis lever is 'pivotedat' S6'. Y When pressure 'is put onit, ittend's'V to swing inwardly and upwardly to Contact -a second lever 61. The leverf'l bears against'the nose of the pawl 63 in Ysuch manner that when the'lever 61 is r pushed upwardly'by operating thetrigger, the pawl 63 isrockedto disengage the pawl from the hole '6L V*" Ihusjthe pressing 'of the trigger releases the cocked plunger, and it' will move forward'with greatvelocity. `4 Y As soon as one chargev has been'expelled, the operator mayv pump the cocking mechanism twice and retract the firing piston. Then he may pull .back on the bolt mechanism, 'including the lever I0c,` to' cause some o the compressed snow in the upper barrel to be pushed back into the magazine chamber. Then he `thrusts the boltforward'projecting vit into the proper slot, turns it`throu'gh an angle of 180",Vv transferring the next charge of `snowinto position, and is ready to' again fire vthe Vgun. The upper barrel is long 'enough to contain 'enough'snow to form several l'charges or pellets, lso that several pellets may be fired in rapid succession.

" The'pumping of the gun to cock the plunger,

and' the sliding and rotating of the bolt mechaunism both simulate in their general operation the operation of other types of fire arms, Agiving `the operator the pleasure of performing the various manipulations. The furtherinanipulation of shoving the bolt mechanism all the-way `forward to open the barrel and allow'a new charge-'of snow to be put in place is'not' only unique, but enhances the value of the gun from the' standpoint of pleasure derived from its use. Pellets may be propelled with considerable accuracy over an appreciable distance', making the toy an 'ideal adjunct for snow battles and similar sports. The'pellets are not compacted to a point "where they are dangerous or likely to be injurious 2 through such open gates v(3) pulling back hard on the bolt action to close the gates or doors 5 and pull the plunger I2 rearwardly to compact the snow (4) pumping the cooking mechanism twice to'cock the plunger; (5) shoving the b'olt'action forward from the position where it was first shovedrforward and turning it through an-arc of 180torotatethe magazine; and (6)ring the gun. kBecause the barrel 2 holdssuicient snow to makeseveral pellets, succeeding action does not require the bolt mechanism to be shoved far'enough forward to cause gates 5 to open, and the bolt is merelyv pulled back until snow previously charged into the magazine is pushed into the magazine or charge-forming chamber;

While I have shown' and described a present ypreferred typical construction, it will be understood that the gun may be constructed in various modified ways to embody the novel action and construction herein contemplated, and my invention is not coniined tothe exact construction and arrangement of parts herein specically described.-

I claim:

11. A snow gun comprising a barrel,i a' magazine having a `charge-forming chamber'therein mounted at the rear end ofthe barrel, said magiazine being movable to shift the chamber from a charge-receiving position to a position where it is in alignmentwith'the barrel, 'a charge-pro#- jecting means movable through the chamber and along the barrel and retractable to a position back of the magazine, and a support for the barreL-magazine and charge-projecting means.

2. A snow gun as dened in claim 1; wherein the chamberY of the magazine is a cylinder of substantially, the same diameterV as the barrel so as to contain a cylindrical charge of snow.

3. A snow gun as dened in claim 2 wherein.

there is a snow-holding barrel connected with the frame and which registers with the chamber of the magazine when said chamber is in chargereceiving position, and means for moving snow from the snow-holding barrel into the chamber.

4. A snow gun'as defined in claim 3 in which said last-named means also constitutes means for moving the magazine chamber'from a chargevreceiving position to a position in line with the rst barrel.

5. A snow gun as dened in claim 4 wherein the snow-holding barrel has a hinged closure thereon near its forward end remote from the magazine, said snow-moving means including a plunger and an operating bolt therefor movable along said snow-holdingbarrel, and means on the plunger and bolt for selectively operating said hinged closure.

"6.'V A snow gun comprising a supporting structure having a barrel secured thereto and projecting forwardly thereof, a magazine rotatably mounted in the structure at the rear of the'bar'- rel and-having a plurality of cylindrical chargeforming chambers therein of substantially the same diameter as the barrel, means for rotating the magazine to bring the charge-forming chambers successively to a position of alignment with the barrel, a'spring-actuatcd plunger carried by the support movable from a cocked position rearwardly of the magazine through a magazine chamber into thebarrel, means for cooking the plunger, and trigger means for releasing ithe plunger. 7. A snow gunV as defined in claimY 6, wherein there is a second barrel on the` frame that extends along the rst barrel and which is positioned to register with another chamber in the magazine when one chamber is aligned with the rst barrel, said second barrel being a snow-holding barrel, and plunger means operable in the second barrel for moving snow rearwardly through the barrel into the magazine chamber which is in registry therewith.

8. A snow gun as defined in claim 7, wherein there is a sliding and rotatable bolt for moving said plunger, and means selectively operable by said bolt for rotating said magazine.

9. A snow gun comprising a supporting structure, a snow-compacting barrel mounted thereon, a snow-projecting barrel extending along the first barrel, a rotatable magazine in the frame at the ends of said barrels having a pair of cylindrical chambers therein so positioned that one chamber registers with one barrel when the other chamber registers with the other barrel, means for rotating said magazine to reverse the positions of the chambers thereof, a springplunger being movable between an extended position Where it is forward of the magazine to a cocked position Where it is retracted back of the magazine to permit rotation of the magazine, said plunger being movable through the chamber of the magazine when it is released from cocked position, and a plunger in said first barrel movable therealong for propelling snow along said barrel into the magazine chamber which is in registry with said rst barrel.

10. A snow gun as defined in claim 9, wherein said last-named plunger has an operating rod extending rearwardly through the aXis of rotation of the magazine, the rear end of said rod being accessible back of the magazine and having an operating handle thereon.

11. A snow gun as defined in claim 9 having a spring for moving the plunger forward, said gun having a slide thereon for retracting the plunger and trigger means for holding the plunger in retracted cocked position.

12. A snow gun comprising a supporting structure, a snow-compacting barrel secured thereto, a projecting barrel extending along the first barrel in xeq relation thereto, a rotatable maga- 10 zine at the end of both barrels having a chamber therein movable from a charge-receiving position in registry wtih the first barrel into alignment with the second barrel, means for rotating said magazine to shift said chamber from one position to the other, a spring-operated plunger in the second barrel, said plunger being movable between an extended position Where it is forward of the rotatable magazine to a cocked position Where it is retratced back of the magazine so as to permit rotation of the magazine, a slideI mechanism for retracting the plunger inthe second barrel to the cocked position, a pawl mechanism on the slide for engaging the plunger for cooking it, a catch mechanism for holding the plunger in intermediate position, and a trigger mechanism for holding and selectively releasing the plunger when it has been fully retracted.

JAMES W. ODELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

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